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| RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Loyalsock head coach Ron Insinger watches from the sidelines during a boys basketball game against Montoursville on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. |
rumahleo.com Loyalsock nearly reached its first-half scoring output during a scintillating third quarter eruption. And that says a lot since the Lancers produced 41 first half points.
Ironically, it was the defense which lit the fuse. After Montoursville carved it up throughout the first two quarters, Loyalsock turned on the defense in that pivotal third quarter. Combined with an offense operating at peak efficiency, it was an unstoppable duo.
Nate Bauman and Gage Patterson combined for 45 points, four players scored in double figures and Loyalsock produced 33 third quarter points as it quieted a large home crowd at Montoursville Monday night, defeating its rival, 83-47. The Lancers (9-1) outscored Montoursville, 33-6 during that spectacular third quarter, hitting a whopping 14 of 18 shots while turning what had been a nine-point halftime advantage into a 36-point rout.
“We knew we weren’t playing our best defensively, and that’s something we pride ourselves on. We went in there and we said, ‘We can do better defensively,” Patterson said after scoring 20 points and grabbing six rebounds. “When you put 41 up in a half, you know it’s not an offensive problem. We knew it was a defensive problem, so we just upped the intensity. I feel like we flipped that switch.”
Once Loyalsock did, the points flowed like lava and the Lancers overwhelmed a quality 4A team. Patterson had a hand in 18 of the first 20 third quarter points and just five minutes into it, the Lancers led, 61-36.
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| RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville head coach Mark Mussina watches from the sidelines during a boys basketball game against Loyalsock at Montoursville on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. |
This was like the first-half Loyalsock offense on steroids, but it was largely due to the defense that was lacking earlier. Tyler Gee (6 rebounds, 4 assists) helped spark the defensive turnaround as Loyalsock forced turnovers, allowed just three field goals and rarely gave Montoursville quality shot attempts. And when the defense made stops, Loyalsock moved into offensive mode at a speed which would make Usain Bolt envious.
“We set goals for ourselves for each quarter. The difference in the first half is we played passive on the defensive end,” Loyalsock coach Ron Insinger said. “We put on a clinic offensively, but the defense was something less than desirable. That was a point of emphasis going into the second half and they picked it up.”
Jaylen Andrews (13 points, 3 steals) made two of his three steals that quarter, producing four quick points. Jamaire Harden (5 rebounds, 5 assists) also made three steals and Loyalsock turned defense into offense, never taking its hand off that switch. Montoursville cut a 14-point first-half deficit to 41-32 by halftime on a Quinn Ranck buzzer-beating 3-pointer, but the Lancers opened the third quarter on a 10-0 run in 90 seconds and soon landed a knockout blow.
Once again, it was a fabulous team effort which made this fifth straight win possible. Loyalsock features five players averaging in double figures, but what is making it so tough to defend is that no one player is focused on scoring. Loyalsock continued brilliantly moving and sharing the basketball against Montoursville, producing 25 assists on 34 field goals. It also hit seven 3-pointers with Isiah Jennings (5 assists) swishing two during the third quarter show.
More important than the assists are the quality shots that unselfish passing is producing. Loyalsock was strong inside and outside Monday and made 65 percent of its shots. Ethan Nagy (12 points, 6 rebounds) took his inside game outside at times, hitting multiple baseline jumpers and all of Loyalsock’s parts again operated as one.
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| RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville head coach Mark Mussina watches from the sidelines during a boys basketball game against Loyalsock at Montoursville on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. |
All these different guys, we’re just coming together,” Patterson said. “When we all come together, that third quarter happens. It’s super special.”
“They’re all on the right page,” Insinger said. “We just have to get better and better.”
Montoursville shares the same goal. Although the result was disappointing Monday, the Warriors still are a league and district title contender with several quality wins through their first 10 games. Any loss is painful but one game in early January does not define this team.
The Warriors can look to the past for that lesson. Six years ago, Loyalsock defeated Montoursville by 41 points in December before the Warriors came back a month later and defeated it in overtime before going on to win the District 4 Class AAAA championship. Loyalsock knocked Montoursville down Monday, but not out.
“This is sports, and this is life. We got hit hard tonight and I still think we’re a good basketball team. We still have a lot of goals that we think we can reach,” Montoursville coach Mark Mussina said. “I’m still encouraged and every now and then it’s good to get your butt kicked. It’s a little humbling and a wake-up call and now have the opportunity to rebound.”
Montoursville did just that after Loyalsock built 14-point leads in both the first and second quarters. The Warriors closed within six late in the first and after Loyalsock again went up 14 in the second, Ranck’s buzzer-beater from NBA-range gave them momentum at halftime. Ranck finished with 13 points and five assists, while Chase Snyder played one of his best games, scoring a career-high 12 points with Jimmy Mussina dealing six assists off the bench.
What goes as a negative Monday in the results page could become a positive if the Warriors come back strong. They will have that opportunity Wednesday when they host Midd-West (6-4), a team they could see come playoff time.
“In life, these things happen, and we have two choices. We can either come back Wednesday, peddle to the metal or we can pout and feel sorry for ourselves,” Mussina said. “We talk a lot about sports are about the ability to see what you can do after, so I’m interested to see in how we respond.”
Patterson highlighted Loyalsock’s third quarter response after being challenged at halftime. The senior guard quickly scored off a drive, drained a 3-pointer and hit a mid-range jumper. His steal, layup and ensuing free throw made it, 51-32 as Loyalsock started dominating.
Bauman was a force in the first half when he scored 20 points in the game’s first 12 minutes before picking up his third foul. Patterson scored the next four points after Bauman (25 points, 4 assists) exited, then made all six of his shots in from the field and line in that third quarter which Bauman capped with a running 3-pointer at the buzzer.
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| RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville head coach Mark Mussina watches from the sidelines during a boys basketball game against Loyalsock at Montoursville on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. |
“It’s the next man up. If someone goes down, someone has foul trouble, now it falls on someone else,” Patterson said. “We have so many different guys. It’s going to fall your way and you’re going to make plays. If we keep playing as a team, we’re going to be very dangerous.”
LOYALSOCK (83)
Jaylen Andrews 6 0-0 13, Gage Patterson 8 3-3 20, Nate Bauman 10 2-3 25, Ethan Nagy 5 2-2 12, Isiah Jennings 2 0-0 6, Jamaire Hardden 2 0-0 4, Tyler Gee 1 1-2 3, Parker Emery 0 0-0 0. Totals 34 8-10 83.
MONTOURSVILLE (47)
Quinn Ranck 4 3-4 13, Bryce Eberhart 1 0-0 2, Gavin Cott 2 0-0 4, Wyatt Fry 1 0-0 2, Chase Snyder 5 2-5 12, Jimmy Mussina 2 0-0 6, Shea Ulmer 2 0-0 4, Kingston Fisher 0 0-0 0, Todd Crawford 2 0-0 4. Totals 19 5-9 47.\
Loyalsock 25 16 33 9–83
Montoursville 17 15 6 9–47
3-pointers: Loyalsock 7 (Bauman 3, Jennings 2, Andrews, Patterson). Montoursville 4 (Ranck 2, Mussina 2).
Records: Loyalsock 9-1. Montoursville 6-4.
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| RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville head coach Mark Mussina watches from the sidelines during a boys basketball game against Loyalsock at Montoursville on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. |
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| RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville head coach Mark Mussina watches from the sidelines during a boys basketball game against Loyalsock at Montoursville on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. |
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| RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville head coach Mark Mussina watches from the sidelines during a boys basketball game against Loyalsock at Montoursville on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. |
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| RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville head coach Mark Mussina watches from the sidelines during a boys basketball game against Loyalsock at Montoursville on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. |
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| RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville head coach Mark Mussina watches from the sidelines during a boys basketball game against Loyalsock at Montoursville on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. |
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| RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville head coach Mark Mussina watches from the sidelines during a boys basketball game against Loyalsock at Montoursville on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. |